Alexa Bliss is back in WWE, and it looks like she’ll be with the company for quite some time. Bliss made her surprise return at the Royal Rumble over the weekend and received more than just a warm welcome.
Bliss signed a new multi-year contract just hours before her surprise return in the Rumble, according to an exclusive report by Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select. Negotiations had been ongoing for weeks, but reports suggested a stalemate at one point. However, despite the hurdles, both sides reached an agreement at the last minute.
Fightful notes that WWE flew Bliss into Indianapolis on the day of the event, finalized the deal, and the rest is history. One scenario discussed for her return involved a singles match. The deal was facilitated by Dean Mutandi (formerly known as Mojo Rawley) and Steven Kaye.
Bliss had been away from television since 2023 after giving birth to her first child.
Alexa Bliss signed a new long-term deal with WWE on Saturday morning and was flown into Indianapolis, @FightfulSelect has confirmed with sources in WWE and close to Bliss.
The two sides had been negotiating weeks ago and WWE had prepared merch for her, but the two sides had… pic.twitter.com/mvRtEeCWWN
— Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com (@SeanRossSapp) February 3, 2025
Alexa Bliss One Of Many Returns At Royal Rumble
Bliss wasn’t the only current star to make her way back to WWE courtesy of the Royal Rumble match. 2025 winner Charlotte Flair was previously advertised but actually was first seen back in the ring on Saturday. Both her and Bliss were in babyface roles. Another name to show back up in the Rumble is latest signee Jordynne Grace who got a great reaction after being a surprise entrant in last year’s Rumble
As for the men, AJ Styles was the major name to return from injury as he was ultimately eliminated by Logan Paul.
WWE Royal Rumble weekend will see several notable names in town, with some attending the big event that kicks off WrestleMania season while others are in Indianapolis for wrestling conventions, signings, and other appearances.
While fans may spot legends and former stars around the city, not all will be involved in the show itself. Some may simply be visiting friends backstage or attending as guests. According to PWInsider.com, several well-known figures are expected to be in Indianapolis this weekend.
WWE Legends Expected for Royal Rumble
PWInsider.com reports that several legends are slated to attend Royal Rumble, including:
The Undertaker
Kurt Angle
Sean Waltman (X-Pac) – While his status has not been officially confirmed, internal discussions within WWE suggest that he may be present.
NXT Trainees and Wrestling Prospects in Attendance
WWE is not only bringing in past stars but also several NXT trainees, including:
Jacob Henry – The son of WWE Hall of Famer Mark Henry. Jacob, who graduated from Vandegrift High School in May 2023, announced he signed with WWE ahead of SummerSlam 2024 in Cleveland. His father, Mark Henry, spent 25 years in WWE, originally signing with the company in 1996.
Brock Rechsteiner – The son of wrestling legend Scott Steiner. Sources close to the family have stated that Rechsteiner will be in Indianapolis. He currently plays as a wide receiver at Jacksonville State University. His father previously revealed that WWE had extended an NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) deal to him.
With Royal Rumble weekend known for its surprises, fans will have to wait and see who makes an appearance at the show.
The 2025 Royal Rumble is mere weeks away, and excitement is building ahead of the February 1 PLE in Indianapolis, Indiana. With that in mind, here is every WWE Royal Rumble winner and where they are today.
1988: “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan: Duggan won the inaugural Royal Rumble by last eliminating One Man Gang. He retired from in-ring competition and occasionally makes guest appearances at wrestling events.
1989: Big John Studd: Studd secured victory by eliminating Ted DiBiase. He passed away in 1995.
1990 & 1991: Hulk Hogan: Hogan became the first back-to-back winner, solidifying his status as a wrestling icon. He is now retired and makes sporadic appearances for WWE, despite the opinion of fans.
1992: Ric Flair: Flair won the Rumble and the vacant WWF Championship by last eliminating Sid Justice. He is retired and had his final wrestling match in 2022.
1993: Yokozuna. Yokozuna earned a title shot at WrestleMania 9 by eliminating Randy Savage. He passed away in 2000.
1994: Bret Hart & Lex Luger: Both were declared co-winners after simultaneously eliminating each other. Hart is retired and makes occasional WWE appearances; Luger is also retired and involved in motivational speaking.
1995 & 1996: Shawn Michaels: Michaels won consecutive Rumbles, famously starting as the first entrant in 1995. He is retired and works as the head figure in WWE’s NXT brand.
1997, 1998 & 2001: “Stone Cold” Steve Austin: Austin holds the record with three Rumble victories. He is retired but returned to action for one more match in 2022.
1999: Vince McMahon: McMahon won by last eliminating Steve Austin. He resigned from WWE in 2024 amid legal controversies.
2000: The Rock: The Rock won by eliminating Big Show. He is a successful actor and makes occasional WWE appearances, including on this week’s Raw and WWE NXT.
2002 & 2016: Triple H: Triple H won his first Rumble in 2002 and his second in 2016, where he also secured the WWE Championship. He is currently WWE’s Chief Content Officer.
2003 & 2022: Brock Lesnar: Lesnar won his first Rumble in 2003 and his second in 2022, continuing his dominant presence in WWE. He was pulled from all plans last year due to being tied to the Janel Grant lawsuit.
2004: Chris Benoit: Benoit won by last eliminating Big Show. He died in 2007 and WWE avoids mentioning him due to his horrific acts.
2005 & 2014: Batista: Batista won his first Rumble in 2005 and returned to win again in 2014. He is now a successful actor and retired from wrestling.
2006: Rey Mysterio: The WWE Hall of Famer won by last eliminating Randy Orton, dedicating his victory to Eddie Guerrero. He is still active in WWE.
2007: The Undertaker: The Undertaker won by eliminating Shawn Michaels. He retired in 2020 and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2022.
2008 & 2013: John Cena: Cena won his first Rumble in 2008 and his second in 2013. In 2024, he announced he’d be retiring this year, and kicked off his farewell on this week’s Raw.
2009 & 2017: Randy Orton: Orton won his first Rumble in 2009 and his second in 2017. He remains with WWE but is out of action due to an attack by Kevin Owens.
2010 & 2021: Edge: Edge won his first Rumble in 2010 and made a remarkable comeback to win again in 2021. He is now with AEW where he wrestles as Cope.
2011: Alberto Del Rio: Del Rio won what was at the time, the largest Rumble in history, featuring 40 participants. He is no longer affiliated with WWE and has faced legal issues.
2012: Sheamus: Sheamus won by last eliminating Chris Jericho. He is still an active WWE Superstar and hopes to win the Intercontinental Championship.
2015: Roman Reigns: Reigns won by eliminating Rusev. He remains a top star in WWE and has been announced for this year’s Men’s match.
2018: Shinsuke Nakamura: The King of Strong Style won in 2018 by elimiantion Roman Reigns. He is the reigning U.S. Champion.
2018: Asuka: The Empress won by eliminating Nikki Bella. She is currently out of action due to an injury.
2018: Braun Strowman: Strowman won the largest Royal Rumble in history with 50 wrestlers. He was released from WWE in 2021 but brought back in 2022.
2019: Seth Rollins: Rollins won by eliminating Braun Strowman. He is an active competitor in WWE where he’s been feuding with CM Punk.
2019: Becky Lynch: Lynch used her win to headline WrestleMania 35 in the first-ever women’s main event. She left WWE in 2024 but is expected to return.
2020: Drew McIntyre: McIntyre won by eliminating Roman Reigns. He remains a prominent figure in WWE.
2020: Charlotte Flair: Flair made history by challenging for the NXT Women’s Championship at WrestleMania. She has been out of action since 2023 due to a leg injury.
2021: Bianca Belair: Belair won by eliminating Rhea Ripley. She is currently one-half of the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions.
2022: Ronda Rousey: Rousey won by last eliminating Charlotte Flair. She parted ways with WWE in 2023 and recently welcomed her second child into the world.
2023 & 2024: Cody Rhodes: Rhodes’ back-to-back wins saw him finally finish the story at WrestleMania 40. He is the current Undisputed WWE Champion.
2023: Rhea Ripley: Ripley’s win wouuld see her capture the SmackDown Women’s Title at WrestleMania 39. She won the Women’s World Title at this week’s Raw debut on Netflix.
2024: Bayley: The Role Model won the 30-woman match by last eliminating Liv Morgan. She won the WWE Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 40.
WWE has announced that the 39th annual Royal Rumble will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in January 2026, marking the first time the event will be held outside North America.
This milestone is part of WWE’s ongoing partnership with Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority (GEA), led by HE Turki Alalshikh, who highlighted the event as a reflection of the Kingdom’s efforts to host major global entertainment events and enhance its entertainment sector. As part of Riyadh Season, the Royal Rumble aims to attract a global audience, offering fans a transformative experience.
لأول مرة في السعودية …حدث رويال رامبل الأسطوري قادم إلى #موسم_الرياض في يناير 2026 .. ليلة تاريخية لعشاق WWE 🇸🇦🔥
For the first time in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the legendary Royal Rumble is coming to #RiyadhSeason on January 2026 A historic night for WWE fans 🇸🇦🔥… pic.twitter.com/5Oy3BmxYBq
In a press release issued to SEScoops, WWE President Nick Khan emphasized the importance of expanding the company’s global presence through this collaboration, which builds on a series of successful events already held in Saudi Arabia, including Crown Jewel and Elimination Chamber.
The Royal Rumble is a premier WWE event featuring men’s and women’s matches where winners earn a Championship opportunity at WrestleMania.WWE Royal Rumble 2025 is scheduled for Saturday, February 1 from Indianapolis, Indiana at Lucas Oil Stadium.
SAUDI ARABIA TO HOST ROYAL RUMBLE®? IN 2026
January 6, 2025 – WWE®?, part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO), in partnership with The General Entertainment Authority (GEA), on behalf of HE Turki Alalshikh, announced that the 39th annual Royal Rumble will be held in January 2026 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This landmark event marks the first time the Royal Rumble will be hosted outside of North America.
Royal Rumble is an annual WWE Premium Live Event that includes both a men’s and women’s match with the winners eliminating all opponents and securing a Championship opportunity at WrestleMania®.
In a statement, HE Turki Alalshikh said, “Saudi Arabia’s hosting of the Royal Rumble for the first time outside North America reflects the General Entertainment Authority’s ongoing commitment to bringing the world’s largest and most important entertainment events to the Kingdom. Through this partnership with WWE, we aim to enhance the entertainment sector and deliver a transformative experience that attracts a wide audience.”
He added, “We are excited to see this historic event as part of Riyadh Season’s activities and look forward to providing an exceptional experience for wrestling fans from around the world, whom we welcome to all events hosted in Saudi Arabia.”
“WWE is a global enterprise and it only made sense to expand our relationship with the Kingdom by bringing one of our biggest annual events to Riyadh in January of 2026.”
Nick Khan, WWE President
The announcement of Royal Rumble being held in Riyadh in 2026 marks a continued expansion to the successful partnership between WWE and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia which has already seen record-breaking events including Crown Jewel, Elimination Chamber, King & Queen of the Ring, Night of Champions, SmackDown and Monday Night RAW.
The 2026 WWE Royal Rumble is reportedly set to take place in Saudi Arabia, marking a significant international milestone for the iconic event. According to PWInsider, the deal has been finalized, and an official announcement could come as early as this Monday during the premiere of Raw on Netflix.
WWE is currently in the midst of a 10-year partnership with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, an agreement slated to run through 2028. This collaboration has resulted in 12 premium live events, two television tapings in the region, and the creation of the WWE Experience, a themed attraction.
Financially, the partnership has been highly lucrative, with WWE reportedly earning $50 million per event in Saudi Arabia, per SES reports. Turki Al-Sheikh, chairman of the Saudi General Entertainment Authority, recently revealed to ESPN that discussions are ongoing to enhance the deal. Al-Sheikh highlighted Saudi Arabia’s interest in hosting major events like WrestleMania or the Royal Rumble as part of these negotiations.
Meanwhile, the 2025 Royal Rumble is scheduled for Saturday, February 1, 2025, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana.
WWE attempts to cover all of its bases when it secures bigger venues for its premium live events.
The company had filed a complaint with the Texas Attorney General to prevent the release of a bidding contract for the Royal Rumble in 2023. In the suit, the company claimed that the deal was a trade secret and contained proprietary information that fit an exemption in Texas’s public information law.
WWE opted last month to withdraw it. Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics shared a copy of the full contract he obtained between WWE and the state of San Antonio.
The initial release of the agreement had three pages noticeably missing, as WWE didn’t want it public. This is because it includes the wording of their exclusivity period.
In the contract, it was stated that the Alamodome could not run any other wrestling event from 90 days before the event and 60 days after it takes place. You can check out the wording of the exclusivity period part in the agreement below:
Because WWE withdrew its lawsuit, San Antonio released to Wrestlenomics their copy of the Royal Rumble 2023 agreement, which has a 3-page addendum not in the previously-published copy from the governor. The addendum includes an exclusivity clause.https://t.co/CahtkmyJUupic.twitter.com/hmeX6qfKnx
This shows the type of arrangement problems that other promotions, such as AEW, can deal with when booking venues for events and how much planning goes into it.
On February 1, WWE will host its Royal Rumble PLE from Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana, officially kicking off the road to WrestleMania 41. The Royal Rumble is always one of the most exciting nights on WWE’s calendar and next year’s show could see involvement from the NBA’s Tyrese Haliburton.
On Twitter, the Indiana Pacers star shared that tickets for the 2025 Royal Rumble will go on sale on Friday, November 15, with a presale beginning two days earlier. Haliburton pointed out that the Rumble is “always full of surprises” and his watching eyes emoji led some to believe that Haliburton could be planning on entering the 30-Man match.
INDY, it’s almost time! Royal Rumble tickets will be available Friday November 15th with presale beginning Wednesday November 13th. The Rumble is always full of surprises👀 @WWEpic.twitter.com/qsAakzsUwn
Haliburton is no stranger to WWE, having appeared on SmackDown earlier this year and came to the aid of Logan Paul in a Money in the Bank qualifying match. Unfortunately for the duo, Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks prevented Haliburton from passing the brass knuckles to Paul and the match was won by LA Knight.
More recently, Haliburton, decked in the shirt of NXT head Shawn Michaels, appeared on the September 17, 2024, edition of WWE NXT. The basketball star was seen meeting with Ava and was later part of the contract signing between NXT Champion Ethan Page and Trick Williams.
WWE and Indiana
Indiana will host the 2025 Royal Rumble but major WWE events will become a regular thing for Circle City. A massive deal between the two sides will see next year’s Royal Rumble take place in Lucas Oli Stadium, as well as a future two-night SummerSlam and two-night WrestleMania. WWE CCO Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque has called this a “groundbreaking, first-of-its-kind partnership” between the two sides and promised “countless unforgettable moments.”
WWE has announced ticket information for next year’s Royal Rumble event, scheduled for Saturday, February 1, 2025 from Indianapolis, IN at Lucas Oil Stadium. Additionally, WWE has confirmed the Rumble is scheduled to begin at 6pm ET/3 pm PT.
Here’s the official press release sent in to SEScoops:
TICKETS FOR ROYAL RUMBLE®2025 IN INDIANAPOLIS ON SALE FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15 Royal Rumble Ticket Presale Begins Wednesday, November 13 at 10am ET/7am PT
September 30, 2024 – WWE®, part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO), today announced tickets for Royal Rumble® 2025, which takes place Saturday, February 1, 2025, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, will go on sale Friday, November 15 at 10am ET/7am PT via ticketmaster.com.
Presale for Royal Rumble tickets will begin Wednesday, November 13 at 10am ET/7am PT. Fans can register now to receive an exclusive presale offer by visiting wwe.com/royalrumble-2025-presale.
Additionally, Royal Rumble Priority Pass ticket packages will soon be available from On Location, offering fans the chance to be ringside for every exhilarating moment including premium seating, pre-show hospitality with WWE Superstar appearances, ringside photo opportunities and more. To place a deposit or sign up for exclusive presale access, please visit onlocationexp.com/royalrumble.
Kicking off with Royal Rumble on February 1, 2025, Indianapolis will host WWE’s three largest stadium events at Lucas Oil Stadium, includingWrestleMania and a two-night SummerSlam, in future years as part of a first-of-its-kind partnership struck between WWE and Indiana Sports Corp earlier this year.
Additionally, Raw, SmackDown, NXT and WWE live events will emanate from arenas across Indiana, including Indianapolis, Fort Wayne and Evansville throughout the partnership.
The 2025 WWERoyal Rumble streams live in the U.S. exclusively on Peacock beginning at 6pm ET/3 pm PT.
The 2024 WWE Royal Rumble Premium Live Event was a special night for the American Nightmare Cody Rhodes, both in and out of the ring.
Rhodes won this year’s match from the #15 spot, last eliminating CM Punk to score the hard-earned victory. With this win, Rhodes becomes the fourth man in WWE history to have won back-to-back Royal Rumble matches.
Cody’s Special Royal Rumble Night
Cody was the last man standing in the Men’s Royal Rumble match and also proved to be on top when it comes to merchandise. Fightful Select reports that Rhodes was the top-selling superstar at the WWE Superstore at Tropicana Field. Cody’s ‘Rumble Winner’ shirt was also the top seller on WWEShop.com.
Despite speculation by some fans, Cody was always scheduled to win the 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble match. This puts to bed any rumors that Punk was going to win but his torn triceps led to the pair calling an ‘audible.’
What’s Next?
Before this year’s Royal Rumble, Cody’s path was obvious: win the Men’s match and dethrone Roman Reigns as Undisputed WWE Universal Champion at WrestleMania 40. On this week’s Raw, however, Seth Rollins confronted Cody and stated Rhodes should challenge for the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 40. Seth Rollins’ originally scheduled opponent for WrestleMania, CM Punk, will miss this year’s two-night mega show in Philadelphia. Cody told Rollins he’ll think about it.
This segment from Raw was a change of plans for WWE and was specifically caused by CM Punk’s injury. It is unclear when Cody will declare his plan for WrestleMania 40.
Is a victory for Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania written in the stars…
Damage CTRL leader Bayley is headed to WrestleMania 40 after a thrilling victory in Saturday’s 30-Woman Royal Rumble match.
Bayley, a multi-time Women’s Champion in WWE, has earned an opportunity to show the world that she’s still a championship-caliber competitor. She’s also looking to build a legacy on par with her peers Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch and Mercedes Mone/Sasha Banks, which is no small task.
WWE regularly plans out big matches months in advance, but the company also makes changes to plans at the last minute on a pretty regular basis. The Royal Rumble winners set the course for the top matches at WrestleMania, so late changes to the winners would indicate that situation is still in flux.
According to PWInsider, WWE had Bayley booked to win the 2024 Women’s Royal Rumble for quite some time and this was not a late decision.
Bayley made history at the Royal Rumble
Bayley’s performance this past Saturday set a new record for the longest time spent a Women’s Royal Rumble at one hour and three minutes.
After entering at #3 following Natalya and the returning Naomi, Bayley (with some help from Damage CTRL allies Asuka and Kairi Sane) eliminated Candice LaRae, Indi Hartwell, Maxxine Dupri and finally Liv Morgan to win the 7th Women’s Royal Rumble.
Who was backstage at the Royal Rumble?
In other Royal Rumble news, several pro wrestling legends were backstage visiting.
Based on speaking with people at the event, as well as photos posted on social media, the list of special guests included Mike Rotunda, Brian Blair, Steve Keirn, Dory Funk Jr. & Marti Funk and Gerald Brisco.
The 2024 Women’s Royal Rumble had a TNA flavor to it, thanks in part to the WWE debut of reigning Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace.
Grace was the #5 entrant in the Women’s Rumble, which started off the 2024 Royal Rumble Premium Live Event. Grace entered to the sound of sirens, likely a nod to her time in her career teaming with WWE Hall of Famer Scott Steiner. Grace entered the match with the Knockouts Championship and the WWE commentary trio of Michael Cole, Pat McAfee, and Corey Graves all made reference to TNA Wrestling.
TNA in the Women’s Royal Rumble
Grace wasn’t the only TNA name who competed in the match. Naomi made her return to WWE as part of the Women’s Rumble, entering the match at #2. This marked Naomi’s first match for WWE since she and Mercedes Mone controversially walked out of the promotion in May of 2022. On commentary, the trio of Cole, McAfee, and Graves made reference to her run in TNA Wrestling. She lost the Knockouts Championship to Jordynne Grace at Hard to Kill earlier this month.
It’s been four years since Edge returned to wrestling after being forced to retire due to an injury. He made his comeback at the WWE Royal Rumble on January 26, 2020, as a surprise entrant in the men’s match. The surprise appearance was a memorable moment that fans and other WWE superstars, including AJ Styles, will remember.
In an interview with Wrestlesphere, ‘The Phenomenal One’ reflects on Edge’s return and what being in the match for his entrance was like.
Wrestlesphere’s Joe Baiamonte transcribed the following quotes.
“It was pretty unbelievable to see that reaction,” said Styles. He continued, “It was a special moment. I enjoyed it. I actually sat back in the corner and watched it all. It was really, really cool.”
At the time, it was unclear what WWE’s plans were for Edge, but Styles hoped that he’d be able to have a match with the ‘Rated R Superstar.’ WWE fans may recall they had a staredown and exchanged offense in the 2020 Men’s Royal Rumble Match. In the interview, Styles admitted he wanted to use the moment to plant seeds for a potential match with Edge.
“As soon as he came back, that Royal Rumble, we planted the seed, said Styles. He explains, “Because we knew if there’s an opportunity, we’ve got to plant the seed now. That was the moment we did it at the Royal Rumble.”
Two years later, the two would be in a feud, including a featured match at WWE WrestleMania 38 on April 3, 2022. While Edge has moved on to AEW, Styles will compete in a title match at this year’s event.
AJ Styles Aims To Get Revenge on Roman Reigns
Roman Reigns will defend the WWE Championship against Styles, LA Knight, and Randy Orton tonight. ‘The Phenomenal One’ hopes to become a three-time WWE Champion, as he has reentered the title picture. He also wants to get revenge on Reigns, as he, in the storyline, had the Bloodline(Solo Sikoa & Jimmy Uso) injure him.
The odds are not in Reign’s favor, but he is expected to retain his championship. It’s unclear if Styles will get another opportunity to lose. However, WWE fans should expect ‘The Phenomenal One’ to give everything he has as he tries to win the WWE Championship for a third time.
The road to WrestleMania 40 begins this weekend at the 37th annual Royal Rumble from Tropicana Field in St Petersburg, Florida.
You can watch the 2024 WWE Royal Rumble live this Saturday, January 27 starting at 8 ET/5 PT on Peacock in the United States on the WWE Network internationally.
Here’s the card for WWE’s first premium live event of the year:
30-Man Royal Rumble Match
30-Woman Royal Rumble Match
Kevin Owens vs. United States Champion Logan Paul
Randy Orton, LA Knight and AJ Styles vs. Roman Reigns for the Undisputed Universal Championship
The Royal Rumble is one of WWE’s most anticipated events of the year. The Rumble match itself is a spectacle like none other, but it also marks the beginning of the Road to WrestleMania. The winner of the Royal Rumble match earns a ‘championship opportunity’ at the ‘Grandest Stage of them All.’
This year’s Rumble matches are unique in that WWE has not announced many of the participants in advance. There’s a lot of uncertainty heading into the show, but that’s part of what makes this show in particular so exciting.
SEScoops correspondents Thomas Lowson, Mike Chin, Tyriece Simon, Bishal Roy, and Aaron Varble got together this week to run down the card and share their predictions for each match.
Kevin Owens challenges Logan Paul for the United States Championship
Thomas: I see this as an easy one. Paul isn’t dropping the title just yet, WWE want to keep him around for WrestleMania. Owens will give him a fight, but he’s not the guy right now (Prediction: Logan Paul)
Mike: Kevin Owens finds himself in the familiar role of challenging for a title at the Royal Rumble, but rather than chasing Roman Reigns like he did two out of the last three years, he’s pursuing the United States Champion Logan Paul. Paul is well-positioned to make the United States Championship matter at WrestleMania 40, and this match seems like it’s mostly there to add credibility to his reign, with an opponent who all but guarantees a good bout and who has the credibility to further Paul’s standing as a champion fans should take seriously. (Prediction: Logan Paul)
Bishal: Amid their intensifying rivalry, Logan Paul’s title run might face a formidable challenge at the hands of Kevin Owens. However, Paul’s surprising resilience and momentum could tilt the scales in his favor, potentially outmatching Owens’ experience and securing a narrow, yet memorable victory in this high-stakes battle. (Prediction: Logan Paul)
Tyrese: I think Logan Paul will retain the title in a great back-and-forth match. I don’t believe Paul will lose the WWE United States Championship at WWE WrestleMania 40 in April. My prediction for the finish is Owens getting close to winning, and Paul lands the right-hand punch for the win. (Prediction: Logan Paul)
Aaron: Logan Paul is a fine US Champion, and he got his title reign in with WWE. I actually asked about any serous issues with having a part-time United States Champion when LP won the US Title. I was told in November last year that “the internal feeling about Logan Paul is that he’s already generated great publicity for the US Title.” Although it would be fun to see Kevin Owens win the match, KO doesn’t need the title, and he can make The Maverick look great in the process. The bottom line is that WWE will get a lot more attention with Logan Paul as US Champion as they head into WrestleMania 40. (Prediction: Logan Paul)
Prediction: Logan Paul retains
Roman Reigns defends the WWE Undisputed Universal Championship in a Fatal 4-way match against Randy Orton, AJ Styles, and LA Knight
Aaron: Roman Reigns is winning this match. Do I need to explain why? As Paul Heyman puts it, this is not a prediction, it is a spoiler. The Royal Rumble starts the road to WrestleMania, and since Roman Reigns vs The Rock is once again a very real possibility, it stands to reason that the Bloodline will help the Tribal Chief pull off another win. The bigger question is whether this match will close the show, and if The Rock is poised to break the internet at Tropicana Field, if he doesn’t really shock us by winning the Royal Rumble match. (Spoiler: Roman Reigns)
Mike: While hardly anyone thinks Roman Reigns is losing his title before WrestleMania, if anyone were to unseat him, it’s conceivable it could be one of his three challengers—not to mention that the Fatal 4-way structure offers an out in which Reigns can drop the title without eating a pin or tapping. More realistically, though, fans get a fun, fresh mix of talents here that all but guarantees a solid match. That’s as much as we can ask for while WWE bides its time on the Road to WrestleMania (Prediction: Roman Reigns)
Bishal: I believe Roman Reigns is poised to prevail of in this bout, of course with the help of Solo Sikoa and Jimmy Uso. Randy Orton, AJ Styles, and LA Knight will pose a massive challenge for ‘The Tribal Chief.’ However, we know that Reigns has a tactical edge over them. Though he has odds stacked against him, he will find a way to hold onto the title. (Prediction: Roman Reigns)
Thomas: Despite the numbers, I can’t see WWE taking the title off Reigns this close to WrestleMania 40. I’m interested to see how the match goes but I don’t think the winner is in any doubt. (Prediction: Roman Reigns)
Tyrese: It’s not time for Roman Reigns to lose heading into WWE WrestleMania 40. I can see a scenario where Randy Orton, RKO’s AJ Styles, and LA Knight lead to Reigns stealing the win. (Prediction: Roman Reigns)
Prediction: Roman Reigns retains
30-Woman Royal Rumble Match
Confirmed entrants include Becky Lynch, Nia Jax, Bayley and Bianca Belair.
Thomas: This really could go a lot of ways, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it goes to Becky Lynch. That being said, I think WWE will surprise fans by having Bayley win, and despite her recent claim about challenging Rhea Ripley, will stand against IYO SKY at WrestleMania (Prediction: Bayley)
Mike: While surprises are always possible, there are two key candidates WWE has set up as logical choices to win this match. On one hand, Bayley’s Damage CTRL has unexpectedly reached a new peak since the addition of Kairi Sane to their ranks and fans are just waiting for the group to turn on Bayley. Bayley winning the Royal Rumble offers a natural road to get to her babyface turn and challenging Iyo Sky at WrestleMania. On the other hand, WWE has Becky Lynch teased Becky Lynch challenging Rhea Ripley at WrestleMania. I could see this Rumble going either way, but a Rumble win feels like a nice reward for how hard Bayley has worked and her key role in getting her Damage CTRL counterparts over at such a high level, not to mention that her winning continues to “spread the wealth,” with no two-time women’s Rumble winner to date. (Prediction: Bayley)
Aaron: WWE has been teasing the Damage CTRL implosion for a while, so Bayley vs IYO Sky could be plausible, but another women’s match is also ready for the show of shows. Becky Lynch has stood up to Rhea Ripley as well, so fans may see The Man win in Tropicana Field. This Royal Rumble match is very unpredictable, because there are many options, including the idea that they may strap a rocket to Jade Cargill by letting her debut and win the Royal Rumble match. Since this one is a toss-up and the betting odds are also all over the place, I rolled a six-sided die for my prediction. (Prediction: Becky Lynch)
Bishal: Fans ar
e buzzing with the possibility of Mercedes Mone and Naomi returning to WWE, adding an exciting twist to the match. Additionally, Jade Cargill is poised to make her much-anticipated WWE in-ring debut. I think Bayley, a frontrunner, is likely to emerge victorious, amplifying her storyline with Damage CTRL. This triumph could set the stage for a compelling WrestleMania 40 showdown with IYO SKY for the Women’s Championship, adding depth to an already intriguing storyline. (Prediction: Bayley)
Tyrese: I think Bayley will get her moment. She had a great 2023 as both a performer and a manager for Damage CTRL. I believe she will win the Women’s Royal Rumble Match and challenge Iyo Sky for the WWE Women’s Championship (Prediction: Bayley)
Prediction: Bayley
30-Man Royal Rumble Match
Confirmed entrants include: Cody Rhodes, CM Punk, Shinsuke Nakamura, Bobby Lashley, Drew McIntyre, Gunther, Damian Priest and Kofi Kingston.
Mike: It’s a very interesting year for the men’s Royal Rumble. The Rock hangs over the match as a specter, unannounced but teased. If the rumored match between him and Roman Reigns is going to happen at WrestleMania, a Rumble win is the most straightforward way to get there. However, I’m of the school of thought Rock simply doesn’t need the Rumble win to be credibly inserted in the main event picture. CM Punk is one of the more favored candidates, and another talent who seems to destined for a world title picture at WrestleMania. In the end, though, I’m going with Cody Rhodes. If WWE does intend to “finish the story” one way or another—be it in a Triple Threat or challenging Roman Reigns one-on-one on either night of WrestleMania this year, he’s the both the talent who most needs this win for storytelling purposes and the one who best fits the ethos of this journey—fighting his way against the odds to become the first man to win back-to-back Royal Rumbles in over twenty-five years and staking his claim to challenge The Head of the Table one more time. (Prediction: Cody Rhodes)
Bishal: The Men’s Royal Rumble 2024 promises a spectacular affair with an array of wrestlers, blending current stars and potential surprise entrants, including wrestling legends. This year’s match is anticipated to be a thrilling showcase of superstars. I pick CM Punk as the winner. He is widely tipped as the likely winner, given his growing momentum, potentially scripting a remarkable comeback story in this spectacle similar to what Cody Rhodes attained last year. (Prediction: CM Punk)
Thomas: Okay, so this really could go a lot of ways. Up until recently, I would have said Cody. But with all that’s been said, I’m not so sure. With it being his first TV match in a decade, I’m predicting a Best in the World victory (Prediction: CM Punk)
Tyriece: There are several superstars that can win this match, but I think CM Punk will walk away victorious. I can see him entering at number 30 and winning his first Men’s Royal Rumble Match. For fans worried about Cody Rhodes finishing his “Story,” I can see him competing in an elimination chamber match to earn his shot at Roman Reigns for the WWE Championship at WWE WrestleMania 40. For Punk, I’m confident he faces Seth Rollins at the “Grandest Stage Of Them All.” (Prediction: CM Punk)
Aaron: Currently, GUNTHER and CM Punk are tied for most likely in the betting odds, with +150 each, Cody Rhodes has +225, and The Rock is in the 4th spot with +900. If you asked me in September who would win the 2024 Royal Rumble match, my answer would have been 100% Cody Rhodes. A lot of things have changed since then. I’ve exclusively reported this, and I welcome you to read up on how the winner of this match went from confirmed to questionable. Since Cody Rhodes is no longer set to finish his story at WrestleMania 40, as he is going to face CM Punk, then that makes things difficult to predict. I’m also holding out hope for GUNTHER vs Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 40, so let’s go with Black Adam on this one; just because it would guarantee front page headlines on every publication the next morning. (Prediction: The Rock)
As the WWE Royal Rumble approaches, Bayley is ready to show the wrestling world that 2024 will be her year. She helped make Damage CTRL (Iyo Sky, Asuka, Kairi Sane & Dakota Kai) one of the dominant groups in the WWE. While she is proud of the success of her faction, ‘The Role Model’ wants to win gold and cement her legacy this year.
In an interview with Uproxx Sports, Bayley boasted that she believes she is on a different level than her peers and plans to prove it at the WWE Royal Rumble on January 27. Uproxx Sports’ Raj Prashad transcribed the following quotes.
“To me, this year in particular is about cementing my legacy and my career,” Bayley said. “I’ve done a lot up until this point. With Damage CTRL, I feel like I’m on a different level than everybody else, even the women that I came up with because it comes with a different responsibility.”
This year marks Bayley’s fifth attempt at winning the Women’s Royal Rumble Match. However, ‘The Role Model’ is seemingly one of the favorites to be victorious and challenging for a woman’s title.
Bayley’s Chances Of Winning The 2024 Women’s Royal Rumble Match
She is currently involved in a storyline where her group is counting on her to win and challenge WWE Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley at WWE WrestleMania 40 in April. She also aims for all members of Damage CTRL to hold titles at the same time this year.
“Let me just say it, this is the last time I’m gonna say it. IYO is champion, right? And in Damage CTRL, that means we’re all kind of a champion,” said Bayley.
She explains, “She deserves to have that all to her own. Kabuki Warriors, we’re gonna get them those tag titles because it’s what they deserve. If I get a title from Rhea Ripley, how cool would that look?”
She added that she wants Kai to win the NXT Women’s Championship when she is cleared to wrestle again. This would mark a rare achievement, with an all-female faction in WWE simultaneously holding all the women’s titles in the company.
“…We’re about making history. We’re about never before seen, and we’re about taking over the world. So, the only way we could do that is by knocking Mami off her little high horse. She thinks she’s the stuff right now. Wait til I get my hands on her,” said Bayley.
It’s unclear if Bayley will ultimately win, as she has 29 other opponents vying to defeat her in the Women’s Royal Rumble Match. That said, the former WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion remains confident that she will shock the world and have her moment this weekend.
Fans can expect to see several surprise returns as part of the upcoming Royal Rumble event, it has been reported.
The WWE 2024 Royal Rumble premium live event will take place on Saturday, January 27 from Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. It will be the 37th annual Rumble event and the seventh event to feature both men’s and women’s Royal Rumble matches.
SE Scoops will have a live correspondent on hand for the Royal Rumble. Stay tuned for more information about exclusive content coming to the site, social media and YouTube from St. Petersburg.
Wrestling fans are eagerly anticipating some surprise entrants in the men’s and women’s matches. Less than three weeks out as of this writing, the first round of rumored names include Sean Waltman, Naomi, and Liv Morgan, according to reporting from PW Insider.
Who Not To Expect In The 2024 Royal Rumble
Hulk Hogan
Okay, let’s get this one out of the way, because we must address it. Hulk Hogan’s name was not churning in the rumor mill for the 2024 Royal Rumble match until he put it there. The Hulkster showed up on RAW this week and said he may have one more match left in him. That is not happening this year. I asked around about this right after Hogan’s promo, and everyone gave me a resounding “No way” and/or “Hell No!” when I asked whether Hulk Hogan is coming in for the match at Tropicana Field.
This goes without saying, but I received a resounding "NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!" when asking if Hulk Hogan is scheduled to be in the Royal Rumble match this Saturday…
Shane McMahon used to have a lot to do with the Royal Rumble match, as he also used to help produce it. I asked around as late as this week and was able to confirm that Shane-O Mac is not in any discussion for the 2024 Royal Rumble match. So, despite many expected surprises, Vince McMahon’s son will not be one of them either.
As if this needs to be said, but I'm still reporting it, cause I CAN.
I've asked around and no, Shane McMahon is not involved in the 2024 #RoyalRumble planning, nor is he slated to be in the match.
Waltman was recently at the WWE Performance Center which is also in Florida. On January 12, the nWo and DX alum said he can still go in the ring, but there’s “zero chance” he’ll be there:
There was talk last week at the PC about Waltman being in Florida over the Rumble weekend. Last year, Waltman told a fan “maybe” when asked about competing in the match. Waltman is a two-time WWE Hall of Famer. His most recent match for WWE was a 10-person tag-team match on the July 8, 2002, edition of Monday Night Raw.
I can still go at the drop of hat, at least for a few minutes. I can do all my kicks, except the one in the corner & I can do that again with a few weeks training. I'm at least month away from taking my shirt off in public, so zero chance I'll be in the Rumble.
Former WWE star Naomi is among those being discussed for a return in the Women’s Rumble match. The reigning IMPACT/TNA Knockouts World Champion competes as Trinity but is expected to finish with that promotion at tapings later this month. The belief within WWE is that she will be returning once her run with IMPACT/TNA expires. Naomi/Trinity famously walked out of WWE in May 2022 alongside Sasha Banks (now Mercedes Mone) due to creative differences with WWE.
Giulia’s status is a very interesting one. Rumors have been flying around about WWE interest in here. In face, it was reported that AEW backed off of her completely after interest from WWE was evident. Only time will tell if Giulia shows up at the Royal Rumble. She has not been to the WWE Performance Center yet, but the idea of her showing up in Tropicana Field is certainly possible.
Mercedes Mone/Sasha Banks
Mercedes’ free agent situation is very interesting. The former Banks, who is notorious for keeping her contracts close to the vest, is now bound for another company after her NJPW deal expired. Although rumors of a WWE return are strong, those in WWE still believe that she is heading to AEW. Others, like Sean Ross Sapp have indicated the same. There were talks between WWE and Mone, but they hit a financial roadblock.
Jade Cargill
A lot of things are going on with Jade Cargill, and WWE has big plans for her. As a former TBS Champion in AEW, World Wrestling Entertainment didn’t jump right to debuting her in the ring. Instead, they opted for a slow burn debut, where she showed up at Fastlane. Then, they placed her in the WWE Performance Center, so she could polish up her skills and get ready for her big moment. It will be interesting to see if WWE pulls the trigger on her debut at the Royal Rumble, and just how much time they give her in the match.
Kazuchika Okada
Okada is leaving NJPW, and that news broke the pro wrestling world wide open. We have not heard any explicit report of a WWE contract offer, but the man has been on WWE’s radar for years. It may be possible that NJPW would allow Okada to perform at the Royal Rumble, even if he has more dates with them. Obviously, Okada’s addition to WWE would also greatly shake up the WrestleMania landscape as well.
Kamille
Although it is expected that Kamille may debut for NXT first, WWE has their eye on the former NWA Women’s Champion. She was just backstage at AEW Dynamite, but that was only because they were very close to her home. That didn’t give any indication that Tony Khan is close to snatching her away from WWE. By all appearances, Kamille is going to WWE, where she will probably be a major player when the time comes.
This page will be updated in the weeks and days leading up to the Royal Rumble.
This weekend’s Women’s Royal Rumble match could see one currently injured Superstar make her presence felt in the 30-Woman contest.
The Women’s Royal Rumble was first introduced in 2018, with Asuka last eliminating Nikki Bella to be crowned the first winner. Since then, Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair, Bianca Belair, Ronda Rousey, and Rhea Ripley have all emerged victorious in the match. Currently, there is a 66% chance of a Women’s Rumble winner being successful at WrestleMania, with Lynch, Flair, Belair, and Ripley all capturing gold at the April supershow.
The Women’s Royal Rumble Match
With 24 spots in the Women’s Royal Rumble match yet to be filled, fans are eager to see what surprises are in store for the contest. PW Insider Elite reports that one name who has been discussed to make a return for the match is Sonya Deville, who has been out of action for months.
Raw Superstar Cody Rhodes remains focused on finishing his story, but the American Nightmare’s path to realizing his wrestling destiny remains unclear.
Nothing is guaranteed in wrestling and there are several other people vying for the position Rhodes and his fans may expect belongs to him.
The Rock Enters The Picture
The Rock is a prime candidate to spoil hopes for WrestleMania 40 to be the stage for Cody’s crowning moment.
On Tuesday, veteran journalist Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated dropped a bombshell report that sources of his close to Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque told him that Cody Rhodes is NOT currently factored in as Roman Reigns’ opponent at WrestleMania.
Barrasso believes it will instead be The Great One battling the Head of the Table.
After joining TKO Group’s board of directors, The Rock confirmed the door is open for him to compete again.
Cody Rhodes Doubts The Rock Will Interrupt His Story
In a new interview with Bleacher Report‘s Mike Chiari, Rhodes says he plans on outlasting 29 other Superstars to become only the fourth man in history to win the Royal Rumble match twice.
Rhodes remains confident about the big picture, but admits anything can happen. Here’s what he said (transcribed by Mike Chiari)
“You mentioned ‘The Great One’ The Rock.. nothing but respect for him. I went and saw Jungle Cruise. I’m a Rock fan.”
Rhodes continued, “I don’t think he’s the type that would come in and meddle with a story that’s been being told over the past two years. I think he’s probably up to something else, but you never know with WWE. I’ll be watching just like everybody else when I’m not wrestling.”
Rhodes’ comments could be a show of confidence or trying to cope with what may be happening. For now, WWE fans must let it play out and see how this ‘story’ ends.
Two-time WWE Hall of Famer Booker T is ready to lace up his boots one more time for this weekend’s Men’s Royal Rumble match.
The 2024 Royal Rumble event will take place this weekend from Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. The show will be the 37th annual Royal Rumble event and the seventh to feature a Men’s and Women’s match. On his Hall of Fame podcast, Booker made his case for why he should be in the match.
“I’m in the best shape of my life, y’all. I’ve been training, I’ve been hitting the gym harder than I’ve ever hit it before. I’m serious, man. I’m serious on this. So if they need an extra man, if they need me to make that walk just one time going down in St. Petersburg, Florida, oh yeah, man. I will be ready, willing and able to get the job done, guys.”
Booker went even further, saying he’s not taking any phone calls unless it has a 203 area code, the code for Stamford, CT, where WWE’s headquarters are located. The former World Champion added that he’ll already be in St. Petersburg for the show, as he’ll be part of the kick-off panel.
Booker T in the Royal Rumble Match
After joining the WWF following the demise of WCW, Booker’s Rumble debut would come in the 2002 match. The ‘favorite’ Superstar of Mr. McMahon at the time, Booker entered at #30 but his time in the match would be woefully short-lived. Booker has appeared in a total of 9 Royal Rumble matches. He has a total of 11 eliminations to his name and has lasted in the match for a combined time of 42:57.
WWE Royal Rumble 2024
Here is the card for the WWE 2024 Royal Rumble PLE as it currently stands:
Men’s Royal Rumble match (Confirmed entrants: Cody Rhodes, CM Punk, Shinsuke Nakamura, Bobby Lashley, Drew McIntyre, GUNTHER, Chad Gable, Otis, Akira Tozawa, Kofi Kingston, Damian Priest)
Women’s Royal Rumble match (Confirmed entrants: Bayley, Becky Lynch, Bianca Belair, Nia Jax, Maxxine Dupri, Ivy Nile)
Roman Reigns (c) (with Paul Heyman) vs. Randy Orton vs. AJ Styles vs. LA Knight (Undisputed WWE Universal Championship)
Logan Paul (c) vs. Kevin Owens (WWE United States Championship)
Who else should the WWE Universe expect during this week’s Royal Rumble Premium Live Event…
On this week’s Raw, Hogan looked back on the magic of his first World Championship win, and spoke about the Royal Rumble event that will take place this weekend. Teasing involvement in the match, Hogan said that you never know who may show up, adding “I might have one left in me.”
Hogan is one of three men to have won back-to-back Royal Rumble matches, putting him in an elite class with ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels. The Hulkster was the first person in history to win multiple Rumble matches, having emerged victorious in 1990 and 1991. Hogan has competed in four Royal Rumble matches in his career. Combined, he has scored 27 eliminations and has lasted a total of 56:49
Royal Rumble 2024
Here is the card for the WWE 2024 Royal Rumble PLE as it currently stands:
Men’s Royal Rumble match (Confirmed entrants: Cody Rhodes, CM Punk, Shinsuke Nakamura, Bobby Lashley, Drew McIntyre, GUNTHER, Chad Gable, Otis, Akira Tozawa, Kofi Kingston, Damian Priest)
Women’s Royal Rumble match (Confirmed entrants: Bayley, Becky Lynch, Bianca Belair, Nia Jax, Maxxine Dupri, Ivy Nile)
Roman Reigns (c) (with Paul Heyman) vs. Randy Orton vs. AJ Styles vs. LA Knight (Undisputed WWE Universal Championship)
Logan Paul (c) vs. Kevin Owens (WWE United States Championship)
Who should fans expect to see return at the Royal Rumble…
The road to WrestleMania will soon begin charting its course. Before we can reach the final destination at WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia though, we must first head to the starting point in St. Petersburg, Florida — the site of the 2024 WWE Royal Rumble.
This weekend, 30 men and 30 women will compete in their respective Royal Rumble matches, with the winner of each guaranteeing themselves a title shot of their choosing at WrestleMania 40. SEScoops correspondent Ella Jay spoke with WWE Raw star Ivy Nile ahead of this premium live event, where Nile shared her excitement about the possibility of competing in the 2024 Women’s Royal Rumble match.
“Isn’t that crazy that I was an alternate last year? That’s crazy,” Nile said. “I really believe in visioning yourself. Like last year, I envisioned just making that run down the way, and just envisioning myself in it. I definitely am doing the same thing this year and gosh, I’m just getting goosebumps thinking about it. To say you were in a WWE Royal Rumble, that’s insane to me. I’m very hopeful that I’ll be in it, but you never know. If Nia Jax is in it, we will see, I’m coming after her first. We’ll see. It’s definitely an exciting time backstage, and just hoping and waiting.”
Potential Surprise Entrants
As of this writing, only a handful of competitors have been confirmed for the 2024 Women’s Royal Rumble, leaving the field wide open for surprise entrants to appear. When asked about who she’d like to see emerge as a surprise in the match, Nile pointed toward another powerhouse — WWE NXT star Lash Legend.
“I gotta say, I hope my girl Last Legend comes up from NXT. Like I said, we’ve had some of the best fights, but that’s also my girl. Gosh, I honestly love the element of surprise. I think that’s why everyone watches the Rumble, because you just never know who’s gonna show up, and I think that’s so exciting. I mean, you kind of wish for some things, and then if someone is there and you’re starstruck, you’re just standing there like ‘What?’ So gosh,I really love the element of surprise.”
On the topic of surprises, Nile tells SEScoops that there are specific two names that would cause her to feel starstruck if they were to compete in the Royal Rumble this year.
“I think AJ [Lee] would be amazing. Gosh, like star-struck by, I’m a huge Ronda Rousey fan. Of course, I just think she’s amazing. I would definitely — I don’t know what I would do. I would start running down, or if I’m running to them in that case, I don’t know, it would be crazy.”
WWE Royal Rumble takes place Saturday, January 27 from Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.
The 2024 edition of WWE’s Royal Rumble is right around the corner. One of the reasons fans look forward to this show each year is propensity for it to feature not only major surprises across the field of 60 Rumble participants between the men’s and women’s versions of the matches, but also surprises of consequence given this PPV also kicks off the Road to WrestleMania.
There is an especially high volume of speculation this year. There’s the possibility of noteworthy clashes within each Rumble match, as well as a number of talents poised to return from injury or other absences from WWE. Moreover, there are NXT talents who could be very interesting to add to the main roster mix right about now.
A Cody Rhodes Vs. CM Punk Encounter
One of the bigger dream matches WWE currently has its disposal is Cody Rhodes vs. CM Punk. The only encounters between the two have come in tag team situations and battle royals, besides a couple of forgettable singles bouts on Raw before either man had attained main event status in WWE.
A proper feud between Rhodes and Punk doesn’t necessarily make much sense for the next few months. Assuming they both stay healthy, Punk appears to be on a collision course with Seth Rollins for WrestleMania, besides teasing a feud with Drew McIntyre. Meanwhile, The American Nightmare has unfinished business with Roman Reigns.
The Royal Rumble affords a natural spot for these two to face off though, perhaps working together or, all the more appealing, trading some moves to hint at an eventual destiny with one another going one-on-one on a big stage. The pairing is all the more intriguing because these two are on the short list of legit contenders to win this year’s men’s Royal Rumble, and given how Punk called out Rhodes recently on Raw.
Ava Raine Gets Established On The Main Roster
Despite her inexperience and not having the most prominent placement in NXT, The Rock’s daughter, Ava Raine, has had a great deal of intrigue around her since she signed with WWE. The 2024 Royal Rumble would provide an interesting platform to more formally introduce her to the main roster audience.
On one hand, there’s a low stakes opportunity for Raine to participate in the women’s Royal Rumble. WWE has, on quite a few occasions, had developmental prospects make one-off main roster appearances to work in this spot. This role both makes fans aware of an up-and-comer and gives them a proving ground working in front of a larger audience than usual.
On the other hand, The Rock’s recent appearance on WWE Raw brought up its share of speculation about his involvement moving forward with WWE, up to and including main eventing WrestleMania opposite Roman Reigns. With Rock’s own daughter in the company and one of the few people tied to the Anoa’I family who is not already in the Bloodline story, it could be pretty fascinating to introduce her as a point of intrigue, perhaps with Rock and Reigns dueling for her loyalties.
A Protected Appearance From Gable Steveson
Gable Steveson was a white-hot prospect when WWE signed him fresh off winning a gold medal in wrestling in the Olympics. Unfortunately, both from what fans have been able to observe from his on-screen appearances to date and from the rumor mill coming out of the Performance Center, it seems he hasn’t picked up pro wrestling as quickly as one would hope.
Still, he has worked house show matches in NXT, and more recently dark matches before SmackDown tapings, all of which suggests WWE hasn’t given up on him and may even be looking at introducing him on the blue brand in the near future. The Royal Rumble would be a natural spot to have him show up, hit a few belly-to-belly suplexes, and remind fans he’s around before someone sneaks in an elimination or the numbers game catches up to him.
The Return Of Andrade
Andrade
Andrade’s AEW contract ran out at the end of 2023, as confirmed by Tony Khan in the media scrum after the Worlds End PPV, making him an intriguing free agent. His previous WWE run ended in frustration when he didn’t get much of a push on the main roster.
With Triple H now in charge of WWE creative though, and the history of Helmsley pushing Andrade in NXT, there might be a friendlier landscape for the luchador to return to the company now. That’s in addition to him having married WWE Superstar Charlotte Flair last year.
Rey Mysterio Tends To Unfinished Business
Rey Mysterio has been out of action due to a knee injury. While there’s no definitive word on when he’ll be ready to get back in the ring, most of the early forecasts suggested he should be healed up by mid-January.
Mysterio is a fan favorite, sure to get a good pop for a surprise return in the Royal Rumble. Moreover, there are multiple roles he could naturally play upon coming back. The most obvious route would be for him to seek revenge on Santos Escobar and company who, in kayfabe, were responsible for his absence.
Mysterio has also commented on wanting to work an eventual hair vs. hair match with his son Dominik. The father returning to spoil the son’s Rumble could set the wheels in motion for that big-time gimmick match at WrestleMania this year.
There are plenty of possibilities for how this year’s Royal Rumble PPV could play out. That includes other rumors around prospective returns for Naomi or Liv Morgan, and speculation about whether some of Sean Waltman’s social media posts may be hinting at an appearance. Regardless, it seems fans can be certain there’s an entertaining show in store, and that it will have at least few twists and turns.
WWE is officially on the “Road to WrestleMania,” and fans wonder if Cody Rhodes will finish his “Story.” Although he is experiencing success in his second stint with the company and is the new cover star for WWE 2K24, Rhodes is still looking to become a WWE Champion.
“WrestleMania 39, I don’t want to say I shrunk under the lights, but it hit me harder than it hit Roman Reigns,” said Rhodes. He continued, “Roman has been in those main events before. If anything, it motivated me further. It’s not just about being in the main event. It’s not about being happy to make the walk. You have to win.”
As he prepares for the WWE Royal Rumble on January 27, “The American Nightmare” has imposed a unique ultimatum upon himself.
Cody Rhodes Doesn’t Want To Be On The Next WWE 2K Cover If He Doesn’t Finish His Story
Although he is happy to be the WWE 2K24 cover star, he doesn’t believe he should be in that position if he doesn’t win the WWE Championship this year. He also joked about not being in next year’s game if he doesn’t accomplish his goal.
“If I haven’t finished the story by WWE 2K25, don’t bring me back for the commercial,” said Rhodes. “Don’t put me on the cover, don’t put me anywhere near it. I won’t deserve it. But it’s fun that this is happening in real-time, and we all get to experience it together.”
“The American Nightmare” is staying positive and highly motivated to bring the WWE Championship to the Rhodes Family. However, he will have 29 other superstars standing in his way at the WWE Royal Rumble. There is also the rumor that the company could be looking to have The Rock challenge Roman Reigns at WWE WrestleMania 40 in April.
Regardless, Rhodes has pressured himself to finish his “Story” before the next WWE 2K game.
One WWE NXT Superstar hopes to make an impression in this year’s Women’s Royal Rumble match, which will take place later this week.
On Twitter this week, the USA Network account asked fans who they’d like to see in the upcoming Royal Rumble matches. In a response, NXT Superstar Thea Hail made clear she wants in her first Women’s Royal Rumble match.
This year’s Women’s Rumble match will be the seventh in history after the match type was introduced in 2018. Previous winners of the Women’s Rumble match include Asuka, Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair, Bianca Belair, Ronda Rousey, and reigning Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley.
Thea Hail is Over-The-Top
While Hail has yet to compete in a Royal Rumble match, the Chase U member has seen success in over-the-top-rope battle royals. Hail has competed in five battle royals in WWE and with a victory in 2 of those matches, she boasts a 40% win record. Hail was part of the battle royal that took place on last week’s WWE NXT, but failed to make it to the final four.
WWE Royal Rumble 2024
Here is the card for the WWE 2024 Royal Rumble PLE as it currently stands:
Men’s Royal Rumble match (Confirmed entrants: Cody Rhodes, CM Punk, Shinsuke Nakamura, Bobby Lashley, Drew McIntyre, GUNTHER.
Mercedes Mone is currently a woman without a contract, but some in WWE believe a Royal Rumble return could happen.
Mone debuted for NJPW at Wrestle Kingdom 18 in January 2023, but her contract has since expired. While there were talks with WWE, the two sides could not come to terms over money.
A WWE Royal Rumble Surprise?
With her talks with WWE fizzling out, many suspect that Mone will join AEW soon enough. There is an expectation within AEW that she’ll be joining after finishing up some acting commitments this month, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports.
With that said, nothing has been made certain at this time. The Observer adds that some in WWE believe there’s still a shot she could make a surprise return in the upcoming Women’s Royal Rumble match. One name who’d certainly want to see Mone make a return is Bayley, her friend and former tag-team partner. The Damage CTRL member recently spoke at length about her deep connection to Mone.
Mercedes Mone in the Royal Rumble
Mone competed as Sasha Banks in two Women’s Royal Rumble matches. The Boss has the distinction of being the first entrant in the first Women’s Rumble in 2018, and would also enter at #1 in 2022. Mone has spent a total 1:04:30 in Royal Rumble matches and has a total of five eliminations to her name.
Royal Rumble 2024
Here is the card for the WWE 2024 Royal Rumble PLE as it currently stands:
Men’s Royal Rumble match (Confirmed entrants: Cody Rhodes, CM Punk, Shinsuke Nakamura, Bobby Lashley, Drew McIntyre, GUNTHER.
Women’s Royal Rumble match (Confirmed entrants: Bayley, Becky Lynch, Bianca Belair, Nia Jax)
Roman Reigns (c) (with Paul Heyman) vs. Randy Orton vs. AJ Styles vs. LA Knight (Undisputed WWE Universal Championship)
Logan Paul (c) vs. Kevin Owens (WWE United States Championship)
Who should fans expect to see return at the Royal Rumble…
With GUNTHER’s impressive run on the main roster, CM Punk is keeping an eye on the longest-reigning Intercontinental Champion. On Instagram, Punk reacted to GUNTHER’s declaration, saying if what he’s heard is real, it’s going to be a tough time for the 28 other Superstars in the match other than himself and GUNTHER.
Punk’s comment is a nod to the infamous tweet by Keith Lee that he sent in early 2022 about the Austrian. Following reports that WWE would be changing the name of WALTER to GUNTHER, Lee had the following to say.
The tweet has become a meme among fans given GUNTHER’s exceptional tenure on the main roster. In contrast, many have felt that Lee’s tenure with AEW has been far from groundbreaking, with many believing he is being wasted in the promotion.
The 2024 Royal Rumble Matches: Who’s In?
GUNTHER and Punk are just two names confirmed for the Men’s Royal Rumble match. The pair are joined by Bobby Lashley, who like Punk and GUNTHER is yet to win a Rumble match. Former winners Cody Rhodes (2023), Drew McIntyre (2020), and Shinsuke Nakamura (2018) have also been confirmed for the match.
On the women’s side of things, Bayley and Nia Jax are hoping to win their first Royal Rumble matches. Bianca Belair, the winner of the 2021 Rumble, and Becky Lynch, who stood tall in 2019, hope to make history by becoming the first two-time Women’s Royal Rumble match winner.
Could WWE be on course to a highly-physical match at WrestleMania 40…
